


The Wrong Seat

by brokenmimir



Series: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017 [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Swan Queen Week Winter 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 02:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9527795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenmimir/pseuds/brokenmimir
Summary: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017, Prompt 2: Coffee Shop AURegina's perfect schedule is disrupted when a blonde menace claims her seat.





	

Regina glanced at her watch. Seven thirty-two A.M. She had been concerned that the people walking slowly in front of her cost her too much time, but she managed to catch up by walking a bit faster on the clearer section of sidewalk. Seven thirty-two. She was on schedule.

As always she closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the strong scent of coffee that hung in the air. She then walked to the counter and purchased her usual. Black coffee, no sugar. Bitter and biting, just the way she liked it.

It was only when she turned around that she reached her first true stumbling block of the day in the form of a pretty blonde eating a bear claw and slurping down overly sweetened coffee.

“Excuse me,” Regina said. “That’s my seat.”

“Huh?” The blonde muttered, looking up with a frown from the textbook she’d been referencing.

“That’s my seat.”

“I didn’t see your name on it,” Emma said, looking back down.

Regina ground her teeth angrily, before sitting down at the next table over. She pulled out her own work and started writing, but she could barely concentrate, fuming as she was at the idiot who’d taken her seat.

“So,” the idiot said. “I’m Emma.”

Regina worked quietly for a few moments, but manner lessons drilled into her since childhood wouldn’t let her ignore the blonde. “Regina Mills.”

They worked in silence after that, and while it took a monumental effort, Regina was eventually able to get a little done before seven fifty-three, when as always she packed up and headed for class.

“Ah, crap, class!” Emma said, grabbing her own books and stuffing them into her bag before trotting out the door.

It took most of the day to get back into the proper rhythm, but eventually she had all but forgotten the blonde menace, and so it was a shock when she saw her in the coffee shop again the next day. She was still sitting in her seat, making Regina grind her teeth for a moment before going and grabbing the other chair _again_.

“Morning,” Emma said.

Regina simply sniffed and started working again.

“Hey, you want a donut?” Emma asked, waving a plate of sugary disgusting things at her.

“No, thank you,” Regina said. “I prefer to eat actual food. Sugar is very bad for you, you know.”

“Hey, you’re drinking coffee too,” Emma said. “What, do you drink it black or something?”

Regina looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “Of course. Why would I want to cover the subtle flavors of the coffee beans with empty calories.”

Emma just shook her head. “Without cream and about eight sugars I couldn’t stand this stuff.”

Regina shook her head and went back to working.

The next day was much the same, and the day after that, and the one after that as well. Slowly Regina got used to her new seat, and the annoying blonde who kept making small talk with her. By late in the semester it was part of her routine, and for some reason she found herself looking forward to her morning stop in the coffee shop for more than just caffeine and a place to study.

One cold morning Regina walked in and headed toward her table, only to pause at the lack of a certain blonde menace. Her old seat was empty, but after a moment of hesitation Regina sat down in her new seat and began working.

Ten minutes later Emma finally arrived, bags under her eyes and looking unusually tired.

“Where were you?” Regina demanded.

“Good to see you too,” Emma said snidely. “I was up all night working on a final.”

“You shouldn’t wait until the last minute,” Regina scolded.

“Yeah, yeah,” Emma said. “What, did you miss me or something?”

When Regina didn’t answer Emma looked over at the blushing brunette and grinned. “Hey, if you like having me around that much-”

“I wouldn’t go _that_ far,” Regina muttered.

“-then why don’t we see each other more often?”

“W-what?”

“You, me, coffee after class.”

“But we come here every weekday.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Right, but isn’t coffee the traditional first date?”

Regina stared at her in shock for a moment before sniffing haughtily and going back to he work. “You’re paying.”

 


End file.
